Monthly Archive for October, 2009

Driving north on Interstate 5, likely California’s straightest and most uneventful freeway, my husband and I came upon a most unexpected and beautiful sight. It was a picture of gentle cloud breezes caressed by warm orange rays – a picture of peace and renewal. I took a deep breath, and another, and another.

I will never forget him. He was a senior executive at Dell Computers. A former Longhorn, he had come to speak to our group of wide-eyed college seniors at the University of Texas at Austin, about our future careers, of course.

A tentative voice at the back of the room posed a question. “I…, I know internships are very important, and I’m an intern now. But I don’t think I’m learning anything because they just have me doing little things, like faxing, copying, filing and other menial tasks.”

I will never forget what this professional said in response as his gaze fixed on the intern. “If you remember nothing else from my speech tonight, remember this, “Nothing is beneath you.”

Have you ever sat alone at a cafe, stared out the window and pondered this question:

“What do I wish my life to look like?”

One day, I did sit at a cafe. I saw the cars and people passing by, and did ask this very question. I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I wanted to build a company filled with happy people and clients. I wanted to do good work that has impact and makes a difference in the lives of others.